Chapter 6 – Friends

Disclaimer: Kubo-semsei didn't reply to my message, I guess he doesn't wanna give me rights for Bleach...

The sixth chapter – Friends

Ichigo was rubbing his, not aching, shoulders. Rukia was by no means weak and fragile as she was described in the document. He was fast and strong, her only weakness was confidence. Ichigo vowed to make his subordinate more confident, his eyes full of determination and what looked like exhaustion.

It was around 8am and he finally reached his office, sinking into his bed like a rock thrown into water. He slowly closed his eyes, thinking 'Finally some rest…'

His graceful and long awaited sleep quickly came to a halt, with the two 3rd Seats entering his office with a loud bang. They slammed the door open, their faces energetic and ready for anything. They noticed the absence of papers on Ichigo's desk, not believing their eyes they rushed to his desk and checked for clues.

After they found no papers lying around they decided to wake their lieutenant "Lieutenant Ichigo! It's early morning, you have morning practice to do!" the blonde 3rd Seat said while shaking Ichigo's frame, after no success she turned to the other 3rd Seat "We need to wake him up, today's important!"

He simply nodded and grabbed Ichigo's frame. Ichigo's tired eyes widened as he was held up by the man in question "Lieutenant, forgive my insolence! But today is an important day for our Division."

Ichigo sighed before nodding "Fine, now let me down." He was released by the man and fell to the floor. His annoyance rising by the second, Ichigo swiftly dusted himself off and headed outside 'Not even an hour of sleep…' Ichigo cried to himself.

He turned to face the 3rd Seats "Why is today important enough to wake me up after all the paperwork?" He asked sternly, his scowl deepening.

The 3rd Seats straightened their backs "Today we receive new recruits from the academy, sir!" both had feared their lieutenant temper while at the same time respected their superior. The fear same from his reiatsu and the respect came from the fast promotion.

Ichigo eyed them suspiciously "And?"

The 3rd Seats avoided his sight "It is our custom, as the 13th Division, to teach them how to achieve Shikai! We usually do it, but since we have a newly appointed lieutenant, Captain decided it would be you to teach them." They proclaimed. "Some students achieve Shikai earlier than others so we take it upon ourselves to help the ones that have yet to achieve Shikai." Ichigo's scowl turned to a warm smile, the 13th Division truly was the best Division for any shinigami graduate.

Ichigo nodded "Alright, where are these recruits?" he looked around the barracks.

"They're awaiting our arrival at the training grounds."

Ichigo smirked "Let's go greet them then." He slowly started to walk towards their divisions training ground.

Upon arrival they were greeted by skeptical looks. Ichigo looked young and inexperienced to the new recruits, and his tired look didn't help the cause. Ichigo smiled warmly "Congratulations on graduating the academy! I am the lieutenant of the 13th Division, your future division…" he cleared his throat "…It is custom in our Division to show our new recruits how to achieve Shikai, but before we get to that, are there any questions?"

The crowd mostly calmed down, but some shinigami were still giving him skeptical looks. A group of shinigami stepped forward, the one that Ichigo thought was the leader of the group spoke "I've lived in Seireitei my whole life and I studied in the academy since I was little, but I've never seen you even once!" the leader smirked "When and how long have you attended the shinigami academy?"

Ichigo sighed; he knew people would eventually find out. Never in the history of shinigami was there a shinigami without the academy's education on their record. Ichigo scratched the back of his head; there was no easy way to explain this, so he chose to be blunt "That's because I haven't attended the academy." The crowd started to whisper after the wave of gasps.

Ichigo waited a moment to continue; he let the crowd go wild 'How is he even a shinigami?' 'How is he a lieutenant?' 'Does he have any power at all? I can't feel his reiatsu…' Ichigo simply coughed "Any other questions?" he still smiled. It scared the 3rd Seats behind him, he was really determined to put on a 'good show' and they knew he would take it out on them.

A cocky looking shinigami stepped forward "You tell us you'll show us how to achieve Shikai, but have you even achieved Shikai? Would you demonstrate?" the shinigami dared Ichigo.

Ichigo tilted his head at the question, while White Zangetsu roared 'Ichigo, I don't ask for a lot, but please enter Shikai and suffocate the fool.' He asked maliciously, his tone low.

Ichigo smirked at the request "Are you sure you want me to demonstrate Shikai?" causing the 3rd Seats to flinch.

Last time he entered Shikai, even at a huge distance, more than half the shinigami fell to their knees, gasping for air. They wouldn't want their new recruits to be suffocated to death.

The cocky Shinigami nodded only for Ichigo to slowly start drawing his blade "Cast aside fear; Zan-" he was quickly stopped by the blonde 3rd Seat.

She latched on to Ichigo's left hand "Lieutenant, please reconsider!" stopping him from drawing his blade.

Ichigo simply smirked "I'm kidding…" making the crowd and the 3rd Seat in question eye him curiously "I would never endanger my subordinates with something as stupid as a dare." He laughed lightly, causing the 3rd Seats to sweatdrop.

"Miss Kotetsu, would you mind?" He whispered to the blonde 3rd Seat, who was still attached to his arm. She flushed furiously as she quickly detached herself off of Ichigo's arm.

Ichigo turned his attention back to the crowd "Any other questions?" No one stepped forward; they were confused why the 3rd Seat went as far as to jump onto her lieutenant and shout. "Great. Now, how many of you achieved Shikai?"

A dozen Shinigami stepped forward, Ichigo nodded in approval before turning his attention to the remaining shinigami after sending the ones that achieved Shikai to the next training grounds. He was about to open his mouth, only for the lieutenant of the 12th Division to call out for him.

She was a beauty and beloved by most male shinigami in Seireitei. There were rumors that there existed a fan club devoted to her. Ichigo stood up and walked closer to her, the proximity between them angered some shinigami in the crowd 'I'm not going to steal her from you, you creeps!' Ichigo thought while feeling a dozen of death glares strike his back "You were saying?" He turned his attention back to Nemu.

She cleared her throat "Captain Kurotsuchi requests you in his laboratory." She said bluntly.

Ichigo raised an eyebrow, he didn't like the idea. The Captain of the 12th Division sent shivers down his spine and now he had to go into his laboratory? He didn't like the idea at all "Let me finish with my new recruits first, after all, It's their first day…" he turned towards the crowd only to receive even colder stares.

Nemu shook her head "No. The Captain requests your attention to the matter immediately."

Ichigo turned, his scowl deepened slightly "With all due respect, I'm busy at this moment-" Only for Nemu to charge at him. She grabbed his shihakushō and quickly flash stepped towards the 12th Division Barracks. She threw Ichigo in front of her Captain; it was the second time today that Ichigo was brought face to face with the ground, a vein popping on his forehead. He swiftly dusted himself off and face the back of the 12th Division Captain, his glare could penetrate walls at this point.

Kurotsuchi turned, grinning like a child "Lieutenant Ichigo! Glad you could make it." He chuckled to himself "I've found some interesting information inside your blood, lieutenant…" it piqued Ichigo's interest before his scowl deepened at the thought of the crazy looking Captain having his blood "…You might be interested into what I've found." He laughed lightly.

Ichigo tilted his head "I'm all ears Captain Kurotsuchi." He decided to be blunt; he had to return to the training grounds.

Kurotsuchi took a vial of his blood and swirled it "I've noticed that you don't have a last name, dead lieutenant. So I took it upon myself to check your blood ties." He giggled like a school girl.

Ichigo raised an eyebrow at the sight "How generous of you, captain." Ichigo said sarcastically.

Kurotsuchi noticed the sarcasm and turned to face Ichigo, slightly annoyed at his arrogance "Your blood is the weirdest I've ever seen, lieutenant. It's a third shinigami…"

Ichigo was confused at the claim, it didn't mean much to him 'A third shinigami, alright…'

Kurotsuchi giggled at the sight of the confused shinigami "Well that isn't the important part… The important part is that it's pure shinigami blood." Ichigo still gave no reaction "…You really are uneducated, aren't you?" Kurotsuchi deadpanned, receiving a glare from Ichigo "Well no matter, what that means is that one of your parents is a noble." Ichigo nodded "And the noble family you belong to now is the no longer noble family, Shiba."

Ichigo eyed the captain "You're saying that my last name, from this day on, is Shiba?"

Kurotsuchi simply turned his attention back to his work "Go talk to your captain if you want details. I still haven't fully researched you blood." He laughed maniacally.

Ichigo nodded and swiftly left his laboratory, deciding not to stay a minute longer. 'Shiba, eh?' Ichigo thought on his way back 'Great now I'm going to have to get used to another thing…' His head was already filled with much useful and useless information, his head wouldn't hurt as much if he had more time to process all his thoughts but time wasn't something he had.

He returned to the training grounds only to notice his captain showing the new recruits how to achieve Shikai. He quickened his step and arrived next to his captain. Ichigo whispered, not wanting to interrupt their new recruits' first meditation "Captain! You didn't have to come out."

Ukitake smiled, he took a sip of his tea before saying anything "Ah, Ichigo. Mind joining me for some tea?"

Ichigo eyed his captain curiously, before he sat down beside his captain.

"I wanted to greet the new recruits, especially now that we have a new lieutenant. I don't think you noticed the changes your sudden appearance made. People are working harder and do their best, which I haven't seen in a while. I'm glad I've made you my lieutenant." Ukitake said with a warm smile.

Ichigo smiled back, his smile faded as he thought about the information he received from Kurotsuchi "Captain Kurotsuchi found out about my inheritance..." Ukitake narrowed his sight it was a serious subject "I'm to be called Ichigo Shiba from today on…" He turned to face a wide eyed Ukitake.

'Shiba? One of his parents if from the Shiba clan? But that would mean that he should have been born in Soul Society!' Ukitake did remember one Shiba that went missing in the living world; he was the former captain of the 10th Division.

Ichigo continued "Captain Kurotsuchi said I've got a third pure shinigami blood in me… What about the other two thirds?"

Ukitake took it upon himself to enlighten his confused lieutenant "It is certainly a weird ratio of blood. If your father was a shinigami and your mother was human, then the ratio would be 50:50. 50% Shinigami blood and 50% Human blood, but there must've been some interference. It is possible that something interfered during your mothers pregnancy." He smiled; he finally understood why Rukia was so worried, he looked really similar to Kaien and behaved like him.

Ukitake tried to remember the name of the particular Shiba captain that went missing in the living world; they haven't felt a slight trace of his shinigami powers ever since his disappearance and marked him MIA. He made a mental note to request archives about the missing Shiba captain.

Ichigo nodded at the explanation, it was bugging him slightly less now.

Ukitake took another sip of his tea "You're currently the only Shiba Shinigami in Seireitei. Which means you can once again make the Shiba clan into one of the former Five Noble Houses. The current head of the Shiba clan is outside Seireitei; you should go and talk to her about the revival of the Shiba clan. It is your right as a noble shinigami."

Ichigo felt great pressure on his shoulders, he was about to change Seireitei's long history of Four Noble Houses. He felt overwhelmed, not long ago he was a normal soul and now he is a Noble Shinigami.

Ukitake saw Ichigo get stressed over the fact "Don't worry too much about it; I'll help you as well as the whole 13th Division." Ukitake turned around "Right?"

Ichigo turned as well, only to be greeted by all the Seated Officers of the 13th Division. They all smiled brightly and gave Ichigo thumbs up. Ichigo smiled in relief 'The 13th Division truly is the best…' he thought as he finally took a sip of the, now cold, tea.